Yankees interested in Mench

The Yankees have interest in free agent Kevin Mench as a fifth outfielder, according to a person with knowledge of discussions who asked not to be named because no deal has been struck.

Mench, 30, would probably go to Yankees camp on a minor-league contract. But he give the Yankees a right-handed option in the outfield, where Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Bobby Abreu are lefties and Melky Cabrera is a switch-hitter. Shelley Duncan is right-handed but could win the first-base job.

In 651 career games with Texas and Milwaukee, Mench has batted .271 with 89 homers, 320 RBI and a .465 slugging percentage. The Brewers made him a free agent by not tendering him a contract after he hit .267 last year with eight homers in 288 at-bats and made $3.4 million.